Introduction

Hello, everyone. Let us continue our study of Mark, chapter 5. The theme of this chapter is “The Greatest Return Comes from Healing the Sick and Casting Out Demons.” You must understand this: whatever else you may have in this world, do not have sickness. Being ill is dreadful. Anyone who has been sick knows how precious healing is.

Take someone with depression. Even when nothing is happening, he feels miserable. You cannot understand it. Someone lives in fear, and you cannot understand why he is afraid. Then there are the blind, the mentally ill, those with dementia, the lame, those who are dying. Let me tell you: while you are alive, nothing is more devastating than sickness.

Some people do not think straight. They tell me, “If you can make me healthy, I will give you all my money.” Do you understand what they are saying? In fact, even if I restored their health, they would not give me all their money. Why? Suppose I healed someone, and he gave me everything, but he no longer had the ability to work. How would he survive? He would still end up dead.

The person saying this has not thought it through. But he does understand one thing: healing is extraordinarily precious. Do you understand? Now, where does sickness come from in this world? It all comes from demons.

Healing the Sick and Casting Out Demons Brings the Greatest Return in the Kingdom of Heaven

Let me tell you, one of the most remarkable things about Chinese Mingding Doctrine is its discovery of the spiritual world. The spiritual realm is utterly real. Without a spiritual realm, how could there be God? Our God is Spirit. Those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.

Why is the return on healing the sick and casting out demons so great? Tell me, how much money must you spend? Nothing at all. If you can solve a difficult problem without spending money—a problem that money itself cannot solve—what is the return? It is beyond anything people can imagine.

In Chinese Mingding Doctrine, when we saw people falling ill and sought to resolve these problems, we returned to the Bible. We discovered that this was precisely what Jesus did. What Jesus did was extraordinary. You must understand that the disciples Jesus trained all healed the sick and cast out demons. They brought this blessing to people.

“All the families of the earth will be blessed through Abraham, and Abraham will become a blessing to all the families of the earth.” Then Jesus came and fulfilled these words. That is why they matter so much. One of the things Jesus Christ did most often was to heal the sick and cast out demons. Mark, chapter 5, which we are reading, is entirely about these things.

Let me put it to you plainly. While you are alive, if you understand the spiritual world, can exercise the authority of the kingdom of heaven, and demons are afraid of you, is that not a tremendous return? Some people argue with me: “Going to heaven after death gives the highest return!” Of course. But do not drag that into this discussion. We cannot calculate that account.

Since healing the sick and casting out demons brings the greatest return while we are alive, would we still be preoccupied with money? But our church never makes money from healing the sick and casting out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. The church never makes money from healing, prayer, or casting out demons. Why? Because making money that way is low. Extremely low.

If a person’s objective is to make money, there is little in that. But if you use God’s authority and power to win people, that is remarkable. Those who follow Jesus are remarkable. Why do they follow Him? They must recognise that this is good.

Yet churches today think that being able to heal the sick and cast out demons makes them something grand. In fact, it is very simple. What did Jesus say? “Your faith has made you well.” What does that mean? It means you believe. Does that cost one dollar? No. Ten dollars? No. A hundred, ten thousand, a million? No.

If you had to spend ten or twenty thousand before we could discuss the return, I would already consider that unsatisfactory. But this costs not a cent. You simply choose to believe. How difficult is that? In one sense, it is difficult; in another, it is not. The difficulty is this: why do people find it so hard to believe?

Brothers and sisters, try it. Believe, and then watch what happens. It is extraordinarily good. Healing is a very simple matter. How simple? The apostle Paul scarcely bothered to discuss it. Why? You simply believe and pray. You do not need years of inner cultivation.

Yet some people try it and then become afraid. They think, “Now that the demon has gone, will it come back and trouble me?” What sort of thinking is that? If we have authority to drive out demons, why should we fear that demons will drive us out? So, brothers and sisters, you must understand that healing the sick and casting out demons brings the greatest return in the kingdom of heaven.

Of course, we cast out demons while we are alive. After death, there is no need. While we are alive, sickness is the most devastating thing. Let me work through the figures with you. Some brothers and sisters among us still do not think clearly. They do not recognise this treasure.

Here is an example. A sister became pregnant and told a teaching assistant in our ministry, “Teacher, I am pregnant. I would like to take a break from the ministry.” But ministry does not require you to carry a fifty-jin sack of rice on your back. It does not require you to squat on the floor and scrub it. You simply read God’s Word and write some notes. Why stop? Of all the things you could stop, why must you stop studying God’s Word? What sort of brain is that? If your surname is Zhu, you have a pig’s brain. If your surname is Sun, you have a monkey’s brain. What can one say? What people need most is God.

Brothers and sisters, can what I have said jolt you a little? Can you begin to think seriously about this? If reading God’s Word required you to carry fifty jin of rice, I would not put you through that while you were pregnant. But what sort of thinking is this?

Healing the sick and casting out demons brings the greatest return in the kingdom of heaven. Why? Because childbirth is a spiritual matter. If demons attack you, what happens to your child? What do you do as the child’s mother? People do not understand how powerful believing is. Faith costs not a cent, not a dollar. Simply believe. Try it.

That is why even the least among our brothers and sisters can heal the sick and cast out demons. Prayer works. Of course, I sometimes act foolishly too. I think, “It will get better in a few days.” But a few days pass, and it has not improved. Sickness is a spiritual matter. Once I realise that, I get on with praying.

Even Unclean Spirits Beg Jesus

As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came from the tombs to meet Him. The man lived among the tombs, and no one could bind him any longer, not even with a chain. He had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he tore the chains apart and broke the shackles to pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day, among the tombs and in the hills, he cried out and cut himself with stones. (Mark 5:2–5)

When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before Him. He cried out in a loud voice, “What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You by God, do not torment me!” For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you unclean spirit!” (Mark 6–8)

Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And he begged Jesus repeatedly not to send them out of that region. (Mark 5:9–10)

With an unclean spirit living in him, this man had tremendous strength. Do not dismiss this as superstition. It really happens. Once, I was leading a demon-possessed person in prayer. My eyes were closed. God said, “You must not close your eyes.” So I opened them. Do you know that casting out demons with your eyes closed can be rather frightening? While we were praying, the person being ministered to moved with extraordinary speed. In a flash, he reached out to claw my face. Fortunately, my eyes were open. I dodged quickly and caught hold of him. His strength was tremendous.

There was also an elderly woman, eighty or ninety years old, who was demon-possessed. You simply could not hold her down. Demon-possessed people have tremendous strength. It does not take a particularly powerful unclean spirit to throw a person’s life into complete turmoil. So many people could not control this demon-possessed man. Even iron chains could not restrain him; he could break them apart. Yet when Jesus was there, the man ran over, bowed before Him, and said:

“What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You by God, do not torment me.” (Mark 5:7)

Those are interesting words. Demons are beings in great torment. When they possess people, those people become deeply tormented too. We must understand that even demons beg Jesus. Who is Jesus? He is the Son of the Most High God. That means if you and I are children of the Most High God, demons will fear us too. Even unclean spirits will beg us.

Casting out demons is therefore very simple. We have the authority of the kingdom of heaven in our hands. As children of the everlasting God through Jesus Christ, having accepted the Lord Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we possess formidable authority.

Do not accept those dark and muddled doctrines. Someone said to me, “Teacher, what should I do?” I asked, “What happened?” He said, “I ministered to a cancer patient, but afterwards I forgot to say a cleansing prayer. Now I am worried that I will get cancer.” Listen to that. Will casting out demons result in demons driving you out? No. It is when you do not cast them out that they drive you out. Who is greater, God or demons? Even unclean spirits beg Jesus. The passage could not be clearer.

If we become children of the Most High God, is the return not abundant? The people of this world do not understand how we deal with things here. Why? We call this “striking from a higher dimension”. Many things in this world are closely connected with the spiritual realm. But they are materialists. They categorically deny that the spiritual realm is real.

Where do they get such confidence to deny the actual existence of the spiritual realm? I find it astonishing. They regard spiritual matters as superstition. They have a superstitious faith in science, yet deny the facts. Science studies the material world. It cannot investigate the spiritual realm.

Even unclean spirits beg Jesus. What if they beg us? Let me tell you: you must become someone demons dread. If demons worry when they see you, how formidable is that? Yet many people place far too much importance on worldly matters and far too little on spiritual matters. The moment a choice arises, they immediately choose the things of this world.

Once, I was ministering to a sick person in prayer. I prayed, and one hour passed, then two, then three. Before I knew it, four or five hours had gone by. Then God opened my eyes. Everything was as clear as an actual scene before me. I saw five or six little demons, about the height of monkeys, with black fur. They stood on two legs and spoke human language. They said, “This man has too much faith. He is too formidable. Let us get out of here!” Then they disappeared.

They even mentioned my name. When some of you cast out demons, those demons know my name too. In fact, I try not to mention my own name. I speak only the name of Jesus Christ. I thought, “Am I that well known in the spiritual realm? That formidable?” When you have cast out demons, have they mentioned my name? Yes. Am I getting a little carried away? No. It is a fact. There is no need to get carried away.

That authority does not come from my own ability. It comes from my God. My God has given me the authority of the kingdom of heaven, so that I can trample on snakes and scorpions, calm the wind and waves, heal the sick, and cast out demons. That is extraordinary.

Brothers and sisters, strengthen your faith. Be determined to become people who heal the sick and cast out demons. You must not fear demons. Why should someone who casts out demons be afraid of them? In fact, fear of demons attracts them. Unclean spirits beg Jesus. Will they beg you? Will they beg us? They will.

People Are Worth More Than Pigs

A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus, “Send us into the pigs; let us enter them.” Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned. There were about two thousand pigs. (Mark 5:11–13)

Those tending the pigs fled and reported it in the town and countryside. The people came to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. (Mark 5:14–15)

Those who had witnessed it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. Then the people began to beg Jesus to leave their region. (Mark 5:16–17)

Is that not strange? If I were at home and saw all two thousand of my pigs plunge into the sea and kill themselves, and then discovered that Jesus had sent the demons into them, I would think, “Forget the two thousand pigs. I want the greatest return.” Then I would say, “Jesus, I want to follow You.” That would seem a sensible decision, would it not? But people think pigs are worth more than human beings.

If Jesus Christ can do something like this, should you not think it through? Suppose one day those demons possess a member of your family. Which is worth more—your pigs or your family member? Yet people’s hearts are often crooked. If it is someone in your own family, you will spend your entire fortune to get him healed. But if it concerns someone else, and your pigs end up in the sea, you will not accept it. You beg Jesus to leave. I simply cannot understand such people.

There has been only one Jesus Christ in thousands of years. We have never heard of anyone else with such power. If there truly is someone so formidable, surely I should follow Him. How could I possibly follow my pigs instead? People who think and see things this way are uncommon. People think pigs are worth more than human beings. God thinks human beings are worth more than pigs.

What is the problem with sacrificing two thousand pigs? There is no real problem. Raise more. If money is lost, earn more. If pigs are lost, raise more. But when a person is gone, he is gone. People are worth more than pigs. Brothers and sisters, you must understand what God considers precious. Human life is precious in His eyes. But people do not know that they themselves are honourable and precious. Deceived by demons, they think the pigs are worth more.

The Woman with the Issue of Blood Is Healed

When Jesus had crossed again by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him while He was by the sea. Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came. Seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet and pleaded earnestly with Him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and lay Your hands on her so that she may be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around Him. (Mark 5:21–24)

A woman was there who had suffered from an issue of blood for twelve years. She had suffered greatly under many doctors and had spent everything she had. Yet instead of getting better, she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment, for she said, “If I only touch His clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she had been healed of her affliction. (Mark 5:25–29)

Jesus immediately realised that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched My clothes?” His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing around You, and yet You ask, ‘Who touched Me?’” But Jesus kept looking around to see the woman who had done it. (Mark 5:30–33)

Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before Jesus, and told Him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction.” (Mark 5:33–34)

When you read this account, do you think it is a myth? I do not. I regard it as God’s Word. Many years ago, when I read this passage, I thought, “How good it would be if I had this power.” Later, I discovered—and I tell you now—that this power is real. Women with an issue of blood have been healed among us. Those with menstrual pain have been healed among us. All kinds of illnesses have been healed.

Brothers and sisters, do you think the return is high? This woman spent all her money on doctors. Not only did she fail to improve, she grew worse. Then she touched Jesus and was healed. Is that valuable or not? It is immensely valuable. Do you realise what this woman thought? “If I only touch His clothes, I will be healed.” And what happened? She really was healed. Extraordinary.

Jesus immediately felt power go out from His body. People find this baffling when they read it. But do not be surprised. That is how things work in the spiritual realm. If you have faith, the power in Jesus does not even need to wait for Him to say, “Let My power go out.” If you have the faith of this woman with the issue of blood, you can draw that power from Jesus automatically. Remarkable, is it not? What did she invest? Simply faith.

I find that a person without faith is simply rubbish. If you were asked to spend a hundred thousand, you would have to weigh it up. You would first need to have that hundred thousand to treat the bleeding. But what is required now? Simply believe. Not a dollar, not a cent. Why is it so difficult to believe?

Sometimes, when I lead someone in prayer, I ask, “Do you believe your illness will be healed?” He replies, “That is a little difficult.” What sort of thinking is that? How good it is to believe that you will be healed. At New Year, when people say, “May you prosper,” everyone believes it, whether or not they will actually prosper. They think prosperity is good. But ask, “Do you believe I will be healed?” and suddenly it becomes difficult.

Others say, “I have had haemorrhoids for more than thirty years. I have had this bleeding for twelve years. My back and legs have hurt for decades because I did not recover properly after childbirth. Can I still be healed?” Listen to that. They look down on what costs nothing and insist on spending money. It is bizarre. Let me tell you, people can be thoroughly foolish. Spend money and suffer under doctors, and they regard that as normal. Is that not so?

The woman with the issue of blood was healed. What was that worth? She did not spend a cent. Yet she received healing for an illness that all her money had failed to cure. Brothers and sisters, we must learn to do the sums. I used to say often: let us offer Jesus all the time we would otherwise spend on a sickbed.

If my future holds time on a sickbed, I do not want to spend it there. I will offer that time to God instead. How, then, can I say I have no time? If I really end up lying on a sickbed, what will I do then? Someone says, “I will believe when I am on the sickbed.” That is a bad attitude, is it not?

Especially those who have been healed, who have been spared all that time and yet refuse to offer it to God—you will certainly have plenty of time on a sickbed. Insomnia, depression, aching legs, aching feet, pain in the buttocks, back pain, headaches, neck pain, sore throats, being unable to pass stool, unable to urinate, unable to breathe, unable to eat. Any one part of the body going wrong is enough to make you suffer.

Brothers and sisters, can you understand how precious Jesus Christ is? I am deeply concerned. Some people are foolish. Once they are healed, they cast Jesus aside. What happens when they fall ill again? They do not even know whether Jesus will come. Some say, “I will call on Jesus when the time comes.”

But when Jesus needs you, you take leave. When you need Jesus, let me ask you: might Jesus take leave too? Jesus may take leave as well. Then you can keep calling. Others say, “It is all right. Teacher, you taught us that if we return to God, God will return to us.”

When I hear that, I find it perverse. Why must people insist on suffering? Is that not asking for trouble? They insist on waiting until they have spent every cent and endured every misery. I call such people foolish. Do not blame me. They are harming themselves. What else should we call it? What do you make of people who harm themselves?

How great was the return when the woman with the issue of blood was healed? That is why the greatest return comes from healing the sick and casting out demons. Why? Without spending a cent, you resolve a problem that all your money could not resolve. Brothers and sisters, you must become people who heal the sick and cast out demons. That will be extraordinarily good for you.

Let us make up our minds. It is not a matter of being unafraid of sacrifice; it is a matter of believing firmly. Then your faith will make you well. Offer God the time you would otherwise spend on a sickbed, the years you would spend with dementia, the time you would spend unable to breathe or pass stool. What an abundant return. Remember, this is very simple. Do not believe those who teach that healing the sick and casting out demons is complicated. That is not the case.

The Young Daughter of Jairus, the Synagogue Leader, Is Raised from the Dead

While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the synagogue leader’s house and said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” Hearing what they said, Jesus told the synagogue leader, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” He allowed no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the synagogue leader’s house, Jesus saw a commotion, with people weeping and wailing loudly. (Mark 5:35–38)

He went inside and said to them, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at Him. After putting them all outside, He took the child’s father and mother and those who were with Him, and went in where the child was. (Mark 5:39–40)

Taking her by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha, koum!”—which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!” Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk. They were utterly astonished. The girl was twelve years old. Jesus gave them strict instructions not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat. (Mark 5:41–43)

Do you find this miraculous? If I told you my testimonies, they would sound miraculous too. Do not doubt. Above all, do not treat this as a myth. Treat it as God’s Word. If you believe, you will certainly see the glory of God.

How did we get to where we are today? The Gospel of Mark has had a profound influence on us. Long ago, I wrote a book called Signs and Wonders Will Follow. Signs and wonders will follow those who believe. Why did I write it? Because that was the result when I put it into practice. There were many signs and wonders.

My hope is that you will not worship some great master. You should become a believer yourself. Why? Because Jesus said, “Do not be afraid; only believe,” and “Your faith has made you well.” So, in my ministry, I did something that seemed very strange. What do I mean by strange? Before something had happened, I began to speak of it as accomplished. Many people call this psychological suggestion or something similar. I call it faith. I find faith extraordinary.

Brothers and sisters, when you minister, impart faith continually. Pass on the faith within you. How do you do that? I have specific teaching on how to impart faith. We impart faith in pastoral care. We impart faith when healing the sick and casting out demons. Do you understand? We help people acquire faith the size of a mustard seed. Then things become straightforward.

Let me give you an example. A man was going blind. His doctor said he would be completely blind within a year. At that point, he could still make out faint shapes. When he spoke to me, his eyes were downcast and hopeless. I made a boastful statement. Why call it a boast? This was more than ten years ago, and I had never ministered to a blind person.

But I felt very sorry for him, so I said, “Do you know? Every blind person who has come to me has been healed.” It was a prophecy, and it was also a boast. I had never prayed for a blind person. But I knew that the gospel I believed was this: “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk.” Many lame people had been healed. I had prayed for healing for lumbar and cervical spine problems, leg pain, knee pain, and all kinds of conditions. But I had never dealt with blindness. Perhaps blind people could not find their way to me.

Then I said, “Every blind person who has come to me has been healed.” My goodness! I saw his faith rise. He placed all his hope in those words. He asked, “Could you pray for me, then?” I said, “Of course.” After I prayed for him, he could see things clearly. Previously, it had been like looking through smog with a PM2.5 reading of 500—everything hazy, as though behind a sheet of plastic. Now he could see clearly.

From then on, it worked when blind people came to me. Why? The boast went out, and faith went out with it. Faith is not something else; faith is spoken into being through that bold declaration. I blessed him, and in my heart I kept thanking my God. I had said those words, and my God actually brought them to pass. I was almost in tears. Three months later, he went to the hospital for an examination. The doctor said he was completely healed. The condition was called retinal nerve necrosis.

The young daughter of Jairus, the synagogue leader, had died. Everyone was weeping and wailing. That seems to be about the extent of human ability: weeping and wailing. Then Jesus said, “What are you crying for? Go to the toilet! There is tissue paper there. Go on, out!” That was roughly the idea. Then He entered the room and said, “Talitha, koum!” That means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up.”

Let me tell you what happened. Jesus was operating in the spiritual realm. He could see everything there. He could see that the child’s soul had left her body. Brothers and sisters, you must understand that when a person’s soul leaves the body, the body is finished. The person dies. It is that simple. But Jesus could see it. When He spoke, the soul returned to the body, and she came back to life. Remarkable, is it not?

Let me tell you: this is absolutely a strike from a higher dimension. If we believe in Jesus but still do not know that we can operate from a higher dimension, what exactly are we believing? It turns out to be a gospel without any power. How I wish you all had this power. How I wish you were willing to pay the price for such a treasure, because the return is so abundant. The young daughter of Jairus, the synagogue leader, was raised from the dead. How great a return was that?

People today put enormous effort into trying to live to 150. They devise all sorts of schemes, such as organ transplants. If you take someone else’s organ, what happens to the person left without it? That is why organ trafficking is now a thriving business. But it is an outrage against heaven and human conscience. To live a few more years, people also research genetic engineering and write papers. They work themselves to exhaustion and keep themselves desperately busy. Yet all that money invested cannot compare with the name of Jesus Christ. They invest money in studying matter. We invest in spiritual authority.

When I first found a job and began working, my immediate boss had undergone a kidney transplant. He had received his younger brother’s kidney. Many years passed. He was a very intelligent man, but ten years later he still died. I attended his funeral and saw his younger brother. His brother remarked, with considerable feeling, that the kidney he had given him had kept him alive for only ten years.

Whatever part of your body fails, Jesus can create a new one for you. Do you understand? We do not need to commit an outrage by taking one from somebody else. We can get another from Jesus. How valuable is that? More than that, let me tell you: from now on, we are no longer to live in the flesh, but in eternity. We therefore live in this world with an eternal hope. We no longer belong to the flesh, but to God and the Holy Spirit. We set our minds solely on God’s Spirit.

The greatest return comes from healing the sick and casting out demons. But the credit for healing and deliverance does not belong to you. It belongs to the gospel of the kingdom of heaven through Jesus Christ. Do you understand? Your part is simply to receive. You did not acquire this through spiritual cultivation. You received it. God has already given us this authority freely. Healing the sick and casting out demons certainly cannot get your name written in heaven. But it can reveal God’s glory, grace, and mercy.

If you want your name written in heaven, however, you must also put to death and subdue what belongs to the flesh within you. In any case, while we are alive, being able to work is still very good news. Do you want it? Of course you do. We will end this Bible study here. May God bless you all!